Touch and Go
by Juleeroze
Summary: A pivotal moment in the life of Carolyn Muir and the after life of Captain Daniel Gregg.


**Touch and Go**

by Julie Feldman

_The characters of __The Ghost and Mrs. Muir__ are the property of R.A. Dick and 20__th__ Century Fox. Although this is not a cross-over, I have "borrowed" the character of Hawkeye Pierce from M*A*S*H, the property of Richard Hooker (pen name of H. Richard Hornsberger, jr.) and 20__th__ Century Fox. I make no money from the use of these characters._

The time: Late October 1975

The place: Schooner Bay, Maine

**Part One: Carolyn**

It's a beautiful fall day, a few weeks before Candy and Jonathan's birthdays, and as I often do, I am walking down Gregg Road. Looking out at the beach, the rocks and the sea always clears my mind when I needed to work out a story.

I had fallen in love with Gull Cottage and Schooner Bay as soon as we moved here in 1969. The last six years had only deepened my feelings. This is where I belonged, and my family too. So much had happened in those years! When we arrived, the children were so young. Now Candy was turning 15 and becoming a young lady and Jonathan was going to be 13 and was no longer a small bundle of energy with two very large front teeth. He was now a much taller bundle of energy, and much to my relief, all his adult teeth came in perfectly straight.

Candy attends Rockland High School, and now Jonathan has joined her there after graduating from Schooner Bay's grammar school. He is still adjusting to the change, but his sister has made the school her own. I'm happy that she is so involved in all the different clubs and activities, but I do have my concerns about her political interests. If there is an anti-war march anywhere within traveling distance, she is always there, holding up signs and protesting the protracted events in Southeast Asia. Student protests turned ugly and then came the Kent State Massacre. Was it only four years ago? Every time she is at a protest, I worry myself sick. Originally Martha and I opposed her views. My father and Martha's husband had both served in World War II and we so we had trusted what the government was telling us, but as the war has dragged on and we read what was available, both of us have become more and more skeptical about what is coming out of Washington. Like so many Americans, the final nail in the coffin for us has been Walter Cronkheit's heartfelt statement about the futility of the conflict.

Of course, Captain Gregg takes a very different point of view. Having been a naval officer before leaving the service and purchasing his own cargo vessel, he had participated in the Mexican War at the Battle of Vera Cruz. To his way of thinking, the nation and its military are doing what needs to be done and the public should support the effort. He easily becomes furious at those who refused to fight and those who oppose Washington. He and Candy have shared many loud arguments and neither one is shy about expressing their opinions. I had been so afraid that this would cause an irreparable tear in their relationship, but stubborn though they both are, their love for each other is greater than their disagreements.

I recall the first time I spoke with the specter of Daniel Gregg; what a stubborn, aggravating man! And he still is, but still as magnificent as ever. I had said at the time that we all couldn't share Gull Cottage as one big happy family, but that's exactly what happened over time. As each of us in turn learned of his presence we came to know, appreciate and love him. For Jonathan and Candy, he is the best possible father-figure imaginable. He has a wonderful way of teaching them without their realizing it and his honesty and reliability make him a role model that pleases me no end. As much as Martha and I are with them through all the scrapes and troubles of growing up, he is too. I have never seen him begrudge them a moment when they really needed him. When they were sick or hurt, he sat by their bedsides, tenderly wrapping a sprained ankle or placing a cool cloth over a feverish forehead. He has spent endless hours reading to them, watching them swim, sail their little boat and otherwise involving himself in their pursuits.

To Martha, he has become a warm friend. In many ways they have similar personalities: hearts of gold wrapped in a protective layer of sarcastic wit, hard-working but not above pulling a trick or two. She is the one person he never accuses of being "totally, eternally female", not because she doesn't have a very feminine side, but because she is never, ever afraid to put him soundly in his place. On the other hand, even now, just a look from the Captain can transform Claymore Gregg, his penny-pinching and cowardly supposed great-nephew, into a pool of jelly.

And of course, my own life would be so much less happy if we hadn't encountered each other. Yes, there are times he can aggravate me to the end of my patience. Daniel has the ability to be both smug and charming at the same time, can frustrate me with a stormy glance and then send me into peals of laughter with insouciant look. He can be opinionated, but over time I have come to admit publicly that, with all his experiences, he is almost always right. And he can be very, very romantic. Gull Cottage is _my_ house, but it still remains _his_ ship and somehow, between the two of us, we've learned to make it a warm, loving home.

There is only one thing that continues to be a problem in all this: we love each other but can never have a full life together. On the rare occasion that I am able to join Daniel in a dream world, I know a world which is complete. But when I awake, the pain of separation is so great, that it feels as if I am trapped in a gray fog for days. The loss and depression are almost too much to bear, and Daniel has learned that these dreams must be carefully constructed, planned so that afterwards he can give me his undivided attention until I am safely back to myself. Still, given the choice, I'd much rather have what we have than not have him at all.

So here I am, contently counting my blessings and pulling together the narrative of a story as I make my way back home walking in the road, next to the stone seawall. The sun is beginning to go down, and from here I can see the sunset in all its orange glory. Often Daniel and I walk here at this time of day, but not today, because he knows this is "work time" for me, even if it doesn't look like it.

There's a flash of something coming up the road before me. All at once I hear the car and see it barreling toward me. It's going very fast and it's going to hit me. I reach out my hand as if that could stop a ton of metal from bearing down, as I take a startled gasp. It hits me in the torso, forcing me back against and partly over the seawall. It bounces away from me and my side of the road, swerving over to the other side and then continues on its path as if nothing had happened.

I have no breath in me. I have nothing in me. I am no longer alive.

**Part Two: Daniel**

Even though I am not with Carolyn, I feel the crushing blow; a pain _I_ had not known when I died. Her voice calls to me to help her cross over. But I cannot.

I hold her in my arms and the portal to the beyond is just over my right shoulder, with the golden light streaming through. Her face, as beautiful a face as was ever made, is tilted up to look at me, joy streaming out of her lovely green eyes.

"Daniel, we can be together at last. We can cross over together."

I pull her close to me. I want nothing more to spend eternity with my darling Carolyn. But I know. Selfish as I want to be, I cannot do it. Still, I cannot help but steal a few moments with her. Her mouth is as sweet as I imagined would be when I kiss her. She responds lovingly to me, tempting me with an unimaginably wonderful eternity. I take a deep breath, hoping to quell the tears I feel forming.

"My dearest love, it is not your time. The children…they are still too young to be without you. You must go back."

Carolyn closes her eyes in despair. I cannot keep the tears back any longer. "If not for them, I would gladly take you forward, but they need you more than I. And I will always be at your side. For eternity. You know that don't you?"

She is crying too. "Yes, I know. I know I must go back to them, too, but please, one more moment. One more kiss." Our tears mingle as we kiss again, hoping to absorb as much as possible of each other, enough to carry us through to the time when we can really cross over together.

I gently push her away from me, and it feels like something is tearing inside. I push her a little bit harder, and she is gone.

We are both now on Gregg Road. Carolyn has slipped down the stones of the seawall, the blood from her head smearing them, and then pooling under her blond hair. Her right arm lies at an unnatural angle, more blood is oozing through her jacket, her breathing is fast, ragged and obviously difficult.

The landscape is empty and darkening. Pulling my thoughts together, I see Martha in the kitchen of Gull Cottage, and I reach out to her with every fiber of my being.

"MARTHA!"

She looks around for me, but I will not leave Carolyn's side.

"Call the ambulance. There's been a terrible accident north of the house on the road. Hurry!"

"Is it Mrs. Muir?" she says to the empty kitchen.

"Yes, hurry, PLEASE!"

I know Martha will do as told, and I turn my attention back to Carolyn. She is lying in the dirt of the road and I know I must be careful, but quick. I take off my jacket and swiftly fold it into a pillow. I concentrate on lifting her head and shoulders together using my ectoplasmic powers while I push the jacket under her head with my right hand. The blood continues to run freely from her head wounds, quickly soaking my jacket and running over my hands. It is matting in her hair like pieces of a red jellyfish. Her breathing sounds more erratic to me. I reach out to find her mind, her spirit, but feel nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The family's station wagon comes to a halt on the other side of the road and in the distance I hear the siren of the firetruck and the wail of the ambulance. Martha is by my side, kneeling by Carolyn's shoulder seconds later. I look up at her and see her go pale and gasp.

"Can't you help her?" she implores. Her look and her question nearly tear a whole through me.

"I can't reach her. It's as if she's neither alive nor dead." I have never in my life or death felt this helpless. I know of three states of being: a live human being, a specter, like myself, and the pure energy of one who has passed over. Carolyn is none of these and I am frightened to my core.

The firetruck is the first to arrive with its volunteer crew. Of all the times I did not want to see Claymore, this was perhaps the greatest. But, as Chief of the Schooner Bay firehouse, he was often on the truck and he was the first to run over.

"Norrie, bring me one of the blankets!" he yelled to the other man as he knelt next to Martha. He picked up Carolyn's wrist. "Her pulse is rapid. We've got to keep her from going further into shock." Amazingly to me, Claymore is actually competent and collected. The ambulance now parks right next to us and the attendants rush to place a stretcher down. Claymore gives Martha a hand to stand and the first medic takes a closer look at Carolyn.

"She has a pneumothorax of the right lung with several broken ribs, broken right humerus, a skull fracture and multiple lacerations," Unbuttoning her coat and pulling up her sweater, the young man examines her abdomen. There is a large dark bruise forming on the left side, with smaller ones scattered about. Under the large bruise, I can see the skin becoming taught. "and likely internal hemorrhaging. Radio base that we are going to Rockland General Hospital." The medic looks up. "Whose coat is this?" No one replies, so it is forgotten immediately.

Before I know it, they have Carolyn in the ambulance, have turned around and with all the noise they could possible make, they flew down the road, south to Rockland.

Claymore comes over to where I am standing with Martha. He was looking at Martha but talking to me. "I'll get down to the hospital as quickly as possible." Nodding at him, she said, "I'd better wait for the children." Taking a look at her watch as she turns to me, "They'll pass the ambulance on the road!"

"They won't know it's their mother. Just bring them along as quickly as you can."

"Aye, I will Captain. Do you want to be with me when I tell them?"

It's a difficult decision to make, but Martha will be with them while I try to reach out to Carolyn again. Martha looks at me sadly before turning back to the station wagon. As she opens the door, she says, "We both have to be strong for their sakes."

I don't feel strong in this moment. I kneel again to retrieve my jacket and once again, my hands are coated with her congealing blood. I look at my palms as if I've never seen them before. Her life force is literally in my hands. I don't know why, but for some reason, I lick my left palm. The blood of course is salty and tastes coppery. Something feels strange. The smell and taste of Carolyn's blood makes me feel closer to her, but there is something else as well. I lick the right palm next. There is a humming in my ears and then a tingling sensation all over me. Other than that, nothing seems to have happened. With my spirit's vision, I find the ambulance and again reach out to Carolyn, but still, nothing.

**Part Three: The Medic**

The ambulance is new, one of those big ones built on the base of a panel truck, so there's plenty of room for supplies and to move around the stretcher. Thank goodness we're not in the old hearse-like job. No room for anything!

I put the oxygen mask on Mrs. Muir's face and set it for 4 liters. Very quickly her breathing begins to improve. We hit a pothole just as I grab a bag of normal saline, but the ride is smooth enough after that to get the IV going. I start jotting down her vitals: Caucasian female, approximately 35 years old, approximately 5'6", approximately 120 lbs. Pulse is 120, not quite thready, not quite normal. Blood pressure is 85/59. I will recheck that in a moment. I slip the oxygen monitor on one finger. This is something new to me and it is the first time I've actually put it on a patient, so I'm extra cautious about its placement. In seconds it's telling me that her oxygen saturation is only 86%. Not good. I'll recheck that again in a moment as well. My eyes sweep over the IV and the oxygen mask. Everything looks like its functioning normally. Repeating the pulse and blood pressure readings, I'm somewhat comforted that both readings have stayed the same. The O2 saturation is up just slightly. I breathe a sigh of relief that the patient is stable. A quick look through the windows of the back doors tells me that we're only about two minutes from the hospital.

**Part Four: Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, M.D.**

The day begins the way it often does for me; with a terrible nightmare, a flashback to Korea. There's the chicken, the child, the sudden, complete hush after the suffocation. Once again, as I have for so many years now, I thank all that is holy that Ellen is by my side in the old bed. Her warm hand on my shoulder brings me back to the present and helps to calm me. I can face another day.

After the Army and Korea, I came back home to my Dad and Christmas Tree Cove, Maine. I didn't do a damn thing for nearly six months except drink. I didn't talk to anyone, didn't go anywhere except up into the hills where I would scream until I couldn't make any more sounds, and at least weekly contemplated the finality of walking into the frigid waters of the Cove. Finally, one night, I couldn't bear to look into Dad's sad eyes any longer. He cradled me like he had when I was a small child and the next morning I called my old friend and shrink, Sidney Freeman. I also did one other thing; I contacted the state medical board and requested the paperwork I needed to submit so that I could practice medicine in Maine.

The path back to a productive life had some twists and turns, but by 1960, I was married to Ellen and we were expecting our first child. I had a decent enough practice as a general surgeon and was an attending at Rockland General Hospital. Because of my experience in trauma surgery in the Army, I was often called into the ER after a bad accident. War injuries can be god-awful. I didn't realize until later that traumatic injuries in civilian life can be just as devastating.

It's just about 5pm and getting somewhat dark out. We live in the same house in Christmas Tree Cove that I grew up in. We had started out closer to Rockland, but as Dad became older and needed more help, we moved in with him. I have a long drive every day, and sometimes I have to make it two, or even three times, but it has been worth it. My kids grew up with their Grandpa and were able to experience small-town life. Dad passed away last year, but he was comfortable in his own home until the end. Ellen grew up in another small town, the daughter of a doctor, so she knew exactly what she was getting into with me and she's still here, only now, she runs my office as well. It makes sense. After all, she runs every other aspect of my life.

Now, normally when I get home after a full day, everything, including me calms and quiets down, but when the phone rings, my adrenaline starts pumping. Today, the cool voice of Myra Andrews, the nursing supervisor of the ER is the one making the call.

"Good evening, Dr. Pierce."

I sigh. "No Myra, it can't be a good evening if you're calling me at home. Not unless you want to take me out for dinner and a movie, but I'm already spoken for."

"Doctor…" In the ER, Myra puts her sense of humor under lock and key and just ignores my rambling. "we have an incoming hit and run from up in Schooner Bay. Female, in her 30's, head and abdominal trauma, poor vitals, but the rig crew reports they're stable."

"What's the ETA?"

"Fifteen minutes, Doctor."

"I'll be there in fourteen." Grabbing my coat and bag, I yell out, "Ellen…."

"I know, I heard the phone."

I'm just behind the ambulance as we both pull around to the Emergency Room entrance. As we all run in the medic give me his report. Once we get the patient into the trauma bay and onto the bed, I quickly start my examination; skull fracture of the occipital bone, closed and not depressed. There's been a lot of bleeding from a good number of scalp lacerations, but they are minor. Pupils are sluggishly reactive. The right lung has collapsed, and two ribs are obviously broken. X-Rays may show more broken or cracked ribs. Her right humerus has a comminuted fracture with the bone shaft protruding through the skin approximately half-way between the elbow and the shoulder. The left lower quadrant of the abdomen is hard and distended, probably with bleeding from the spleen and or the liver. The orders start flying out of my mouth; "Myra! Do a cross and type match, crit, PT, PTT, get X-rays of the head, arm, chest and abdomen. Get me a chest-tube tray and call the OR, STAT." Nurses, orderlies and techs start running. The portable X-Ray unit is manhandled over, so I step away. Running down the corridor I see the figure of the chief of the Schooner Bay Volunteer Fire Department. Damn! I can never remember that popinjay's name.

"Doctor! Doctor! How is she? How is Mrs. Muir?"

"Ah, Mister….?"

"Gregg, Claymore Gregg. You remember me? Schooner Bay Real Estate? Head of the Town Counsel? The volunteer…."

"Yes, yes. Mr. Gregg, can you tell me what happened? And how do you know the patient? You wouldn't be next-of-kin, would you?"

"Oh, no, no Dr. Pierce. She's a widow. The only family she has here are her two teenaged children. Her parents live in Philadelphia. She is my tenant…and my friend. I didn't see the accident happen, but from the tire tracks and the scrapes and paint on the seawall, it looks like she was hit by a car while she was out walking."

"That's consistent with her injuries. Her children, is someone with them?"

"Yes, their housekeeper, Martha Grant. She's known Mrs. Muir since the children were babies. If there is anything you need to know about her, Martha will be able to tell you. They're probably on their way here now."

It occurs to me that if Carolyn Muir has teenaged children, they probably go to Rockland High School with my girls. I'll have to ask, but later. Myra has the labs and the X-Rays. The chest-tube tray is waiting in the OR and it's time to start the show.

**Part Five: Claymore**

The plastic chairs in the waiting area of the Emergency Room are uncomfortable and its chilly as the door to the outside keeps opening and closing as people come in. Fortunately, its only about 10 minutes before Martha and the children arrive. Both Candy and Jonathan have obviously been crying.

"Where is she?" Martha asks.

"They've just taken her up to the OR."

"Please Claymore, what did they say?" Candy begs me. I can only shake my head.

"They didn't tell me anything else. Her surgeon is Dr. Pierce. I've heard he's the best."

Martha pulls the children to her. "We best sit down. This will likely be a long wait." Finding a group of seats away from the busiest part of the waiting room, we all sit like little wooden dolls, each thinking our own thoughts. Looking up, I see the Captain striding through the waiting room, which makes me shake, per usual. Then I realize that other visitors are looking at him too.

"Aaaayaabahbah!"

Martha looks over at me with a stern look on her face. "Claymore, what are you babbling about now?" All I can do is nod in the ghost's direction. I know he lets all the Muir's see him now, but random strangers? He must be so besides himself that he's forgotten to hide his presence. I'm sure he must have wanted to carry Mrs. Muir off with him. I've thought that since she had that "Virus X" shortly after moving into Gull Cottage. Oh, I know he denied it back then, but honestly, how many times have I had to appear as him, as Carolyn Muir's fiancé not to realize how he feels about her?! Well, maybe Uncle Ghost-face isn't as all "super" a super spirit as he boasts. He obviously couldn't ghostify her or whatever it is that happens. Hah _Hah_! Maybe this time I can get out from under him. Of course, I'm concerned about Mrs. Muir. Not only is she a good tenant, who always pays the rent on time and in full, but she a good friend too. Oh, we've had our differences, especially about the upkeep of the house, but she's always done her best to protect me from You-Know-Who. But he's here, approaching us and I wish _I_ could snap my fingers and disappear. Instead, Jonathan stands up and squares his shoulders and looks like he wants to raise his fist to the Captain.

"Why didn't you do something? Why didn't you take care of her!"

"Lad…"

"Don't 'lad' me! If you really love her, why did this happen?" The boy, unable to stop his tears turns his back to Captain Gregg. Standing quickly, his sister steps between the two and wraps her brother in a bear hug but looks at the ghost.

"Dad, I know you did everything you could." She turns her attention back to her brother. "For all you know, Jonathan, Dad saved her from death."

"Aye, I did Candy," he whispers but she doesn't hear.

**Part Six: Martha**

How many years have I known Mrs. Muir? Let's see. Candy was about three months old when I joined their household, so that would make it almost fourteen years. We've gone through a lot together, Mrs. Muir and I; Candy and her colic that seemed to last a whole year, Jonathan's birth, the terrible accident and Mr. Muir's premature death, trying to make a go of it in Philadelphia with her family trying to run her life for her, and finally moving up to Schooner Bay. I was born and bred in Maine, and I suggested that it would be just the place for the family, and I was right. I just didn't know the family would include Captain Gregg, but that has worked out very much for the best, I should say.

But now this! I can hardly say the pain everyone is in, including me. Calling Mr. and Mrs. Williams was one of the hardest things I have ever done. They will be here tomorrow, and the children and I will pick them up at the airport before going to the hospital.

We sat in that awful waiting room, even the Captain, for hours. Finally, the doctor came down to talk to us. He was wearing green OR clothes under his white coat which flapped in the breeze he created with his long-legged quick walk. He took us to a small windowless room off to one side of the main waiting room.

"You must be Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Muir's children?"

"Yes," I reply. Then turning to the Captain, I introduce him. "and this is Captain Daniel Gregg, Claymore's...ah…cousin and Mrs. Muir's…very good friend."

"How do you do? I'm Dr. Pierce." Turning to the Captain, the doctor offers his hand. "What branch of the service, Captain?"

The ghost doesn't take the doctor's hand. "Please excuse my rudeness in not accepting your hand; I've recently sprained it quite badly. I am Navy, retired. And you, Doctor, were you in the military?"

Hawkeye is a little startled. He could swear the other man didn't have a bandage wrapped around his hand a moment ago, but he nods solemnly, "Army."

I notice that the two men are about the same height, although the doctor is at least 15 pounds lighter and his blue eyes are darker.

Hawkeye looks down at the two children with a gentle smile. "The most important thing is that your Mom is alive. She's badly hurt, and the next 24 hours will be crucial, but my guess is that she knows that she's got to get home and finish raising you two." Squeezing both of their shoulders, he continues. "So, you've got to be strong for her sake." Turning to the adults, he continues, "We set her arm and inserted a chest tube to allow her lung to re-inflate. We found that she had severe damage to her spleen, so we removed it. That won't cause her any difficulty in the future. There was damage to the liver as well, but it was a small area, so we could suture it. As for the skull fracture, because there was some bleeding between the skull and the brain, we made a small drainage hole in the bone so that we could suction it clean. We are keeping a very close eye on that, because if the intracranial pressure goes up, we are going to have to remove a piece of the skull to prevent compression of the brain. She remains comatose, but that's not too unusual, considering the trauma and blood loss."

We must all look a sight! The doctor looks at each one of us in turn, obviously assessing how we are taking all this information. The children, bless their hearts, are focused on Dr. Pierce's encouraging words, but Claymore, the Captain and I all know how serious Mrs. Muir's situation is. Claymore looks pale and the Captain looks like he is in physical pain. I know if I didn't have to keep myself together for the children's sake, I would probably sink to the floor.

"However," Hawkeye continues, "Mrs. Muir is young and healthy, and that counts for a lot. Go home and get some rest, all of you. If anything changes, I will call you, Mrs. Grant."

"Thank you, Doctor, "I reply. "We appreciate all you are doing for her." Claymore adds his thanks, as do Candy and Jonathan, and we turn to leave, but Captain Gregg hangs back a moment.

"Dr. Pierce…Carolyn is very, very important to me, and…"

"No need to say anything further, I understand completely."

It's well after midnight, and all of us are fading under the strain. Claymore departs quickly and I start herding the children toward the car.

"Ah, Martha…would mind my joining you for the trip back? I think it would be best for us to all remain together."

"Why, certainly, Captain!" I have never had a ghost in the car before. This ought to be interesting. Hopefully after all his experience at sea, Captain Gregg won't get car sick. He sits up front with me and the children are in the backseat. We drive along for nearly ten minutes in a silence that is as thick as a fog. Finally, Jonathan clears his throat.

"Dad, I want to apologize. I should have never accused you of not doing everything you could for Mom. I guess I needed to be angry at something or someone."

"Thank you Jonathan, but no apology is necessary. I too, wish that I could blame someone or something. At least I would feel that I am doing _something_, even if it weren't constructive. And I promise you, that if it had been in my power to prevent the accident, I most surely would have done so. Unfortunately, all we can do is wait and hope that the Powers will be kind to your mother and all of us."

**Part Seven: Candy**

I don't think I can remember a worse time. When my father passed away, I was too young to really understand. It took a long time for me to understand that he wasn't coming back, but by that time I was used to Mom taking care of everything. And we had Martha and a lot of relatives around us in Philadelphia. _And_ I didn't feel that I had any responsibilities in the family. Now it feels like we were all standing on a teeter-totter, each of us trying our best not to fall off or knock anyone else off. All I can think of now is what could happen if Mom is disabled or even dies? What would we all do?

I walk into the house with the others. I thought being back home in Gull Cottage would make me feel better, secure in the one place that I know better than any other. But without Mom here, I feel really, really frightened.

Ahead of me, Martha is gently guiding Jonathan toward the stairs. "Go up to bed, children. We'll be going back to Rockland after breakfast." Jonathan nods his head sleepily and says goodnight, but I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin.

"I don't want to go upstairs. I don't think I could sleep right now." I turn to the Captain.

"Dad, can we sit and talk for a while?"

"Of course, my dear! Come into the parlor. Would you like me to start a log in the fireplace?"

"No, thank you. It's not necessary."

"Now, Candy," Martha admonishes, "don't stay up too long. You need rest." I nod and then walk into the parlor. Standing there, looking at the empty fireplace, I can't keep myself together any longer. The first big, shuddering cry comes out of me as I turn.

"Daddyyyy!" All I can do is wail.

I wish so hard that the being I think of as my father could hold me and rock me and tell me that everything will be alright, but I know he can't. What he does is drape the afghan from the chair over my shoulders. I hear his thought in my mind telling me to sit down on the couch, and I slip my shoes off and tuck my feet under me and wrap myself tight in the warm blanket. It is not his fatherly embrace, but it will have to do.

"Dear child, dear, dear child! I wish I could promise you that your mother will be alright, but you're not a little girl anymore who is happy to believe in fairy tales. You're a young lady, and very much your mother's daughter." Dad looks at my feet under me, positioned just the way Mom does, and he smiles sadly. "So, I know that you can be strong. You were strong for Jonathan. And you were strong for me, as well. We all have to help each other, and we will. But there is one thing that I can promise you without reservation: I will be with you and Jonathan as long as you wish me to be. Whether it is here, or anywhere else, I will be by your sides for as long as you want me."

"Oh, Daddy, forever. Please be with us forever!"

**Part Eight: Daniel**

It is just 4 bells and the Intensive Care Unit is relatively quiet before the staff changes shift in an hour. It's a simple matter for me to materialize by Carolyn's bed. There are all sorts of machines and tubes and liquids and pumps, things that periodically go "whoosh!" and other things that beep, but Carolyn is motionless. I still cannot find her presence, although I'm not sure _I'd_ want to have any presence if it were I lying in this place.

She is pale, but not gray as she was yesterday. Now instead of an oxygen mask, she has a little plastic tube under her nose. There are multiple tubes running in and out of her body. Most seem to contain clear fluids; one I can clearly see holds urine and another some bloody materiel. She also has a large cuff on her left arm and wires attached to her chest and also pasted to her head. There are several small television-like devices around, but they are only showing a variety of lines; some jagged, some wave-like. One also reports her temperature (100.1 degrees Fahrenheit), her blood pressure (101/79) and her pulse (90 beats/minute). In my day we didn't have all this information. All I can fathom is that she has a slight temperature.

She is only covered by a light sheet, with her shoulders exposed. It's not terribly warm in this large room. Why isn't she better covered? With a little movement of my finger, the sheet rises to cover her up to her chin. At least I can do this little thing for her.

I lean over her, close to her left ear. "Carolyn, my dearest. Can you hear me? It's Daniel. Please try hard to find your way back to us." She hasn't reacted in any way, not that I thought she would. I place my hands on the bed as I lean over her once again. Something is different this time. I feel the same tingling in my hands that I did yesterday, after tasting her blood. "Carolyn, Carolyn? The tingling, do you feel it too?" The sensation only grows, and for a moment it also becomes a roaring in my ears. Unconsciously, I reach for her hand. It is warm and soft, the fingers relaxed. It is then I realize that I am touching her. My hand is holding hers! I wrap my fingers around hers, exerting just enough pressure so that she might be aware of my presence in some deep recess of her mind. I look at her face. There is a trace of dried blood down her right cheek and there are dark rings under her eyes. Her lips look dry, but I am drawn to them, nevertheless. I press the merest whisper of a kiss on them, both stunned and exultant that this is real, when I feel what might (or might not be) a slight squeeze of her hand in mine. A warmth begins in my chest as a tendril of optimism begins to grow around my heart. I must kiss her again! Is it really my imagination or did her fingers move again?

Behind my back, a man clears his throat.

"Ah, Captain. Please excuse my interruption, but we usually don't use kissing therapeutically. Not that it isn't such a bad idea…it's just not a standardized procedure recognized by any medical body."

I straighten up and turn to see Dr. Pierce. I know I am smiling like an idiot.

"You seem to have slept in your clothes, Captain Gregg. Would you like me to find you a pair of scrubs?"

"Ah, well, you see…I didn't sleep last night. I was with the children…I didn't even go home; I just came right back here. Yes, I suppose a change of clothes would be appreciated."

In a few minutes the doctor comes back with some strange green garments that look like short-sleeved pajamas. After he showed me to a small room, I put these garments on. They're surprisingly comfortable, even if they are rather thin and odd looking. However, the important thing is to be able to return to Carolyn's side. Unfortunately, Dr. Pierce and several nurses are with her and the curtain is drawn around her bed, so with nothing else to do, I pace a bit until the curtain is pulled back and the doctor can come over to me. He pats me on the shoulder, as if I were any typical mortal.

"She's coming along pretty well. I'd like it better if she were a bit more responsive, but all in all I'm not complaining about her progress. We still have to keep a close eye on things, and I'm not saying that things couldn't turn sour, but I become more optimistic with every passing hour." As do I.

Dr. Pierce looks down at my right hand. "That healed quickly."

"Yes," I reply. "I'm very fortunate that way."

**Part Nine: Emily and Bradford Williams**

It feels like we've been flying, changing planes and then flying some more for days. "Emily, we could have driven up here faster!"

"Now Brad, you know that isn't true. We're anxious because of Carolyn and every moment feels like an eternity." She pats my arm gently. "But we're here now and I'm sure we'll be quite occupied with her and the doctors and the children."

"You're right, dear. And speaking of the children, there they are with Martha."

It's not a large terminal and in a short moment we are all gathered together, hugging each other tightly. The strain on Martha and children is obvious to both of us.

"Now, Martha," Emily asks, "what do the doctors say this morning?"

"Mrs. Muir is stable. She's still not awake, but Dr. Pierce isn't too concerned about that yet. Do you want to go directly to the hospital, or stop at Gull Cottage and freshen up?"

Brad roars, almost like Captain Gregg. "Woman! We want to see our daughter!"

It's a fifteen-minute ride from Rockland Airport to the hospital. Normally, I would enjoy the scenery, but all I care about is seeing Carolyn. That's why I'm surprised when Emily asks about Captain Gregg.

"You know, Carolyn hasn't mentioned him in the longest time. What ever happened between the two of them?"

"Well," Martha starts slowly, looking in the rearview mirror at Candy and Jonathan, "I suppose it was just one of those things. Mrs. Muir didn't like that the Captain was being so impetuous, wanting to marry her before she was ready. I guess things just cooled down between them. They're good friends still, though "

"Especially since Claymore Gregg retired from the sea and settled down in Schooner Bay with his real estate company," Candy volunteers, just as impetuously. Jonathan sees an opening and jumps on the bandwagon. "And then Claymore's cousin, Daniel, who is also a sea captain also retired, came back to town and became Claymore's partner."

"And Daniel Gregg met Mrs. Muir, "Martha adds in, "and they've been 'seeing' each other for a while. If you ask me, he's a much better match for her."

"Well, that Claymore fellow is a bit odd. Very high strung and popping up and down like he was on a pogo stick." Brad snorts derisively at the whole idea of Carolyn having any romantic feelings for _that_ Gregg.

Emily leans forward from the back seat. "Martha tell us why you think this Daniel Gregg is a better match for our daughter?"

"Well, for one thing, Mrs. Williams, Captain Daniel isn't ever the least bit anxious. He knows what he wants and says what he means, isn't that right children?"

Jonathan and Candy agree whole-heartedly.

"But he is a very good-hearted person," she continues, "always willing to help out, and he's very generous with his time, and he's very good with the children. I know that Mrs. Muir's in-laws have always been particularly concerned that Jonathan have a reliable male role model, and Captain Daniel fits the bill to a tee!"

"That's right!" Jonathan chimes in. "He's taught me so much about the sea and we go fishing and sailing and lots of other stuff."

Not to be left out, Candy speaks. "And he's been wonderful to me too. He helps us with homework, especially Math and English. No one is better at explaining Shakespeare than he is. When I feel down about something, he is always willing to listen to me. He makes me believe that I can do whatever I put my mind to. And when he learned about the Father-Daughter dance at school, he took me to it. It was fantastic!"

Emily and Brand exchange a meaningful glance.

"I hope we'll have the opportunity to meet him shortly. I just wish it were under better circumstances." Emily said quietly.

Not too long after, Emily and I follow Martha and the children into the little hospital. I really wish we could bring Carolyn back to one of the teaching medical centers in Philadelphia. I can't imagine how they can successfully treat her in this place. The ICU is on the second floor, but they only _have_ two floors here. I don't notice people rushing around here like they do in one of the big hospitals.

Emily, on the other hand, feels much less concerned about the quality of care at Rockland General Hospital. She sees the staff going about their business in a purposeful way, but they are not rushing like she's seen in other facilities. "These people are calmly going about their work and don't look like they're overwhelmed by what they have to do, "she thinks. "Grandmama always said, 'Haste makes waste', and she was right. Everyone looks like they know their jobs and are proud of the way they do it."

The Williams' and the Muir's stop at the ICU waiting room. Emily approaches the volunteer at the desk.

"Hello, dear. We're Carolyn Muir's parents. May we go in to see her?"

The woman behind the desk looks something up in a rolodex, and then pulls out two visitor's passes. "You may go in, but please no more than 10 minutes. She's in Bed 4."

**Part Ten: Jonathan**

Grandma and Grandpa go inside. I'm glad they're here. Everything felt out of control last night, even with Martha and the Captain with us. It feels like having two more adults around just makes it easier, even though I know they must be just as worried as all of us are.

Martha and Candy and I are sitting on a couch together when the door from the waiting room to the elevator lobby opens and Captain Gregg comes in. He's wearing doctor clothes, which look weird on him. I've never seen him without his long-sleeved turtleneck sweater, but now, his forearms are bare, and I can see that he has really strong arms. I can also see the very bottom of a tattoo on his right bicep. It might be part of an anchor or something.

He comes over to us and sits on the wood table in front of the couch the three of us are sitting on. He's smiling a little.

"She had a good night and she is stable. And I think she squeezed her hand a little bit while I held it. I still can't sense her, but…"

"WAIT!" I yelled. "You held her _hand?!_" Suddenly we are all standing, and everyone is trying to talk at once. Finally, the Captain holds up his hands for quiet.

"I'll explain, but not right now. I'm not sure that I understand it quite myself."

"Well, I think that's a good thing, for the moment," says Martha. "We've spun a little tale for Mrs. Muir's folks on the way over and we'd better let you in on it, and we have to call Claymore and tell him what's up, too.

The Captain's expression gets sour-looking. "Please don't tell me that Claymore has to impersonate me again. I thought we'd put that well behind us."

"We did put it behind us," I start to explain. "We told Grandma and Grandpa that you and Claymore were cousins and that you're were both retired from the sea and in the real estate business together in town."

Captain Gregg puts his hand to his forehead. "No, please. What a terrible thought, being the business partner of that miserable, penny-pinching spineless sea cucumber!"

"Well, you always say that everything Claymore has in Schooner Bay is yours…" I protest. "Just think of it as keeping an eye on it." "Oh, blast…" the captain says quietly, looking up to the heavens. "Anyway, they think that Mom and Claymore are just friends now, and that you are her 'beau'."

Right then, the doors from the ICU open and Grandma and Grandpa come out. They look very sad, but then they notice the Captain.

"Doctor," Grandpa greets him and holds out his right hand for a shake. I think it startles Candy and Martha as much as me to see the Captain's hand hold Grandpa's. "I'm Bradford Williams, the father of Carolyn Muir, and this is my wife, Emily."

"How do you do?" the Captain answers, taking his hand away from Grandpa. "But you have made a mistake. I am Daniel Gregg. Dr. Pierce gave me these clothes because I hadn't had the opportunity to change out of what I was wearing yesterday."

Grandma pushes ahead of Grandpa and gives the Captain a really bright smile, which is kind of weird, considering the place and circumstances. She holds out her hand to him too, which he takes, and she takes another step closer to him. Is she _flirting_ with him?

"Captain Gregg! The children and Martha were telling us about you on our drive from the airport. It's lovely to meet you. I just wish Carolyn had given us an idea about you."

Then Grandpa spoke before Captain Gregg could respond. "Yes! After meeting your cousin Claymore a few years back, I'm surprised at her not telling us about you. You seem a damn sight more collected than he was."

"Yes, well," the Captain started. "Carolyn is not one to talk much about herself, as you know. As for my…cousin, I suppose our parents and the upbringing they gave each of us would account for our very different personalities."

It was having a hard keeping a straight face. It was smart of Martha to step in just then. "Children, do you think you want to see your mother? Remember what I said about how she will have a lot of machines around her, and how she'll likely look." I kind of want to see her, but kind of don't at the same time, but Candy took control of the situation. "We can just take a little peek, Jonathan. We don't have to stay long."

It's really strange looking at her in the hospital bed. Somehow it really doesn't look like Mom, but the three of us go over to her. Martha bends over her ear and whispers something to her. Candy and I are on the other side of the bed, and Candy leans over after Martha stands back and quietly says, "Mom, we love you. Get better, please." Then I take my turn at her side. "Mom, please come home fast. I love you and I want you back with us." I hope she heard us.

We go back to the waiting room and gather up Grandma and Grandpa. "Let's go back to Gull Cottage and get you settled," Martha says to them. Grandma turns to the Captain again. "Would you be returning to Schooner Bay with us, Captain Gregg. It will be tight in the car, but I think we can manage."

"Thank you, Mrs. Williams," he replies, sort of bowing, "but I will stay here a little longer before going home. I am sure that I will see you all later on." "Yes, of course," she replies, resting her hand on his arm for a moment. "But don't stay too long. You look quite tired."

**Part Eleven: Bradford**

"You know," I say as I get into the car next to Martha, "it would be a good idea if we rent a car, Emily. That way there's more room and we don't have to have Martha at our beck and call if we want to go down to the hospital on the spur of the moment."

"I think you're quite right, Brad. Martha, is there any place to rent a car in Schooner Bay?"

"Yes, Mrs. Williams. Harvey McCormick, the town mechanic has a few cars for rent. I can drop you there on the way home. He's just down the block from Claymore Gregg's office. While you and Mr. Williams make the arrangements for the car, the children and I will go home, and we'll bring your bags to the guest room. Lunch will be ready by the time you come in."

"Perfect!"

McCormick is a typical down-easter. He doesn't say much when we go into his shop and inquire about renting a car. "I've got a couple a' 4-doors 'n one convertible. Which one yeh want?" I tell him we'll take a sedan." "Alright. Gotta give me about 15 minutes before its ready, though."

I turn to my wife. "Why don't we take a bit of a walk, stretch our legs?" "That's a marvelous idea, Brad. Why don't we see if Claymore Gregg is in his office?" As we leave McCormick's shop, I ask her, "Is that really necessary?" "Oh, come on Brad. It's only polite!"

Well, if you ask me, it might be polite, but not actually necessary. However, once Emily gets a bee in her bonnet, all you can do is follow along. We find Claymore behind his desk. When he sees us, he springs up as if he had an ejector seat under him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Williams! Of course, you're here! It's just terrible about the accident, terrible. I just was speaking with Martha, not a moment ago. She tells me that Mrs. Muir is stable. I'm glad to hear that. I assume you're staying up in Gull Cottage?"

Emily answers. "Yes, we are, Captain. We met your cousin at the hospital. I hope there's no jealousy between the two of you over Carolyn."

"No, not at all. You see, Mrs. Williams, much as I cared for your daughter and her children, I quickly realized that Daniel was much more suited to her than I." He puts his hand over his heart, a bit too dramatically for my taste. "I loved her enough to give her her freedom. I don't regret it for one moment. To see Carolyn and Daniel together, is to know what true love really is. My dear, dear cousin and this wonderful woman! How could I possibly stand in their way!"

"Oh, Gregg, is there something that you know that we don't know, like another engagement?"

"Oh, I couldn't say that, now could I? It would be for them to tell you, wouldn't it?"

Oh boy, here we go again. "And Daniel, is he making a good living as your partner?"

"The Gregg Real Estate Company is the most prominent real estate company in the area! And of course, Daniel has investments of his own."

"Claymore, that sounds wonderful," Emily says, smiling. "I do have a question though; why do you have a New York accent and Daniel an English accent?"

Claymore thinks to himself, "Oh boy, somebody better write down all the details of our 'history'. I don't know how we'll ever keep it all straight!" He clears his throat and begins, "Well, you see, my dear Mrs. Williams, _I_ went to the Merchant Marine Academy in the Bronx, New York. I very much enjoyed my time there, and that's where I picked up the accent. Daniel was born here in Schooner Bay, like I was, but when he was an infant, the family moved to England. His mother was Irish, did you know? They came back to town when he was twelve, but I guess the accent was set for him by then."

"Did he also go to the Merchant Marine Academy?"

"No, Ma'am. Daniel graduated from Annapolis and served during the Second World War and Korea, before he resigned and captained freighters for many years. Not only does he have investments, he also has two very good pensions!"

The man is beginning to sweat. I think it's time to pick up the car.

**Part 12.1: Carolyn**

Feelings…dull aches, but distant. Floating. Alone. Daniel? Some roaring noises ebb and flow. Anyone?

**Part 13: Daniel**

We all meet again late that afternoon at the hospital. In order to avoid more comments, I wear my usual clothing, but change the turtleneck sweater to an off-white color. The doctor clothing was deuced revealing! I know Jonathan saw a bit of my tattoo and I don't want him getting any ideas.

The nurses in the unit are used to me now being by Carolyn's side as much as possible and they don't enforce any time limits on me. Before her family and Claymore arrived, Dorcas, one of the, ah, more experienced nurses, had come over to show me the monitors above the bed and explained that they indicated continued improvement. Carolyn's hand feels a bit warmer and again, I give it a squeeze while murmuring into her ear. Again, it feels as if she is moving her hand in mine, but I acknowledge the possibility that it is just terribly wishful thinking on my part.

Everyone, including Claymore, go in to see her briefly. My concern is Jonathan and Candy. We move to the other side of the waiting room while Martha and Carolyn's parents chat.

"How goes it with my crew?" I ask them. Candy speaks for herself and her brother. "We're doing our best, Dad. It was busy at the house with Grandma and Grandpa, so we didn't have a lot of time to think about anything. Maybe that's a good thing."

"Aye, keeping up with things that need attending to is always a good policy. It keeps _you_ occupied and the ship in Bristol fashion."

I am aware that both of Carolyn's parents glance our way frequently. They are watching me to see if I am "father material" for their grandchildren. Too bad they don't know yet that we answered that question years ago. It might give them one less thing to worry over.

After we all have a few moments with Carolyn, Martha announces that she has dinner slowly cooking in the oven and everyone, Claymore and I included, are expected to sit down to eat once we get back home. Neglecting to explain exactly how I will return to Gull Cottage, I agree to join them.

Martha serves dinner in the formal dining room to accommodate the seven of us. It is a subdued gathering, not surprisingly. The stew is marvelous, of course, and I am pleased to see that the children are eating it. I've always thought that they needed a bit more meat on their bones, but I have been told several times that due to modern advances in pediatric medicine, children no longer need to be chubby to survive their early years.

After coffee and cherry pie, Claymore stands and announces his imminent departure. Looking over at me, he asks, "Da, Da Daniel, d, do you want a ride back?" He shakes his head, 'no' imperceptibly. "No, thank you, _cousin_," I reply with a leer at that useless piece of flotsam, "I have my car and I will drive myself home." Were I alive, I wouldn't accept a ride from him, and I don't know why Carolyn allows herself to get into that rattle-trap of a car? I remember Claymore's father, Albert, buying it in 1938! And of course, neither Claymore nor his equally penny-pinching father ever put a cent more into it than absolutely necessary. It's a wonder that it runs at all. If it were a ship, it would be a garbage scow. In any event, there is something that I need to do tonight, and I wish to prepare.

After all the inhabitants of Gull Cottage have fallen asleep I stand watch on the bridge outside of Carolyn's - our - room. Blast and damn! It is a cold ship without her on it. But, I cannot stop to worry over that just yet. I have an appointment, a very special one, to keep.

I have many, many questions, and for the likes of me, they only place to bring them is to my spectral fraternity. I must explain that the fraternity has advisors from the plane beyond ours. Some humans who are aware of them call these beings "The Elders" or "The Masters". They are the most evolved beings and are pure energy, pure thought. They do not have, nor do they need any physical body and they have no gender, no age. Everything in the universe has an energy frequency, from the lowliest amoeba to these beings, and their frequency is the highest. Specters and ghosts like myself have a lower vibratory frequency, and humans a lower one still. Since it is much easier to slow down than to speed up, it is most often the case that The Elders reach down to us, and under very special circumstances to a few, very advanced and intuitive humans.

An Elder is almost always at our formal meetings. They and a more experienced ghost greet and guide new spirits, and they provide us with guidance and support, particularly in our relationships with the physical world. It is here that I hope to find the answer to the question of my new-found ability to touch a human.

"Hello, Daniel," the Elder said. "You have a question. Please ask it." And so, I ask. The answer is at once obvious and incredible.

"You see, Daniel, when you ingested some of Carolyn's blood, you obtained a small bit of her life force. Because of this, you are able to slow down your frequency enough to manifest solidity. At the moment, you are only able to maintain this lower frequency for a short time; however, knowing your personality and your excellent abilities to manipulate your ectoplasmic energy, we foresee you being able manifest in this way for longer periods of time."

"So," I begin slowly, "obtaining some of a human's life force…through their blood…? Isn't that how one becomes a vampire?" I definitely do not want that fate. Vampires are cursed creatures, certainly the lowest form of spectral life, avoided by all others because of their need to harm the living in order to maintain themselves.

"Well, vampires do require fresh human life force in the form of their blood in order to become a vampire and to continue to remain so, but remember, vampires have not died as you know it, and they need to consume far, far greater amounts of blood than you have. You have our reassurances that you will not become vampiric." I am certainly glad of that. Now another, more delicate question.

The Elder laughs, a tinkling sound. Of course, he can read my mind, so I do not need to say the words out loud.

"Dear boy! We do not have to reach into your mind; your blush tells us exactly what you wish to know."

"I most certainly do not blush!"

The Elder laughs again. "Nevertheless, the question embarrasses you, not only because you still carry the restraints of your time on Earth, but because it is an intimate query. You also feel rather selfish for needing to know this. We wish to tell you that the physical union between male and female is a gift to be enjoyed and savored. When infused with love, it creates and nurtures a bond between the partners that nearly reaches the physical. Surely you have heard of a broken heart? And it is as delightful for the female as for the male. Giving and receiving that pleasure is not selfish, Daniel. It is a gift. Can you engage in an intimate relationship with Carolyn? Not yet. It takes a great deal of energy, which you have not yet developed. However, knowing you as we do, we do not, for one instance, believe it is beyond you."

"What of…" I began.

"You know that we cannot tell you what the future holds, for you or anyone else. You must experience it, so that you may learn from it, just as you learned from your human life. Now, Daniel, it is time for us to depart from you for this moment. Remember that we, the universe and all that is in, love you, and bless you and keep you."

The love and the caring expressed by The Elders is constant. Even when I have been most despairing, most angry and most storm-tossed, I have been able to feel that constant and unending love. And now, with my questions answered, I can go forward without fear.

**Part 12.2: Carolyn and Daniel**

Early the next morning, I was back by Carolyn's side. Again, I took her hand, the left one that wasn't wrapped in the hard cast. She had taken off the wedding band given to her by Robert Muir a few years ago. "It is time she had mine on her finger," I think to myself, as my hand closes tighter around hers.

The pain, closer now, sharper but not overwhelming. No longer floating. Grounded somehow…someone is near. Daniel, is it you?

I sense her again at last! "Carolyn, my dear! Open your lovely eyes for mes." I see her eyelids flutter a bit but stop after a moment. I fear it is too much for her yet. I give her hand a bit of a squeeze, and after a second or two, I feel her weakly squeezing back. Reaching out to her, touching her mind, I speak to her without words; Dearest, you've been badly hurt, but you will be well again."

Her voice is soft and rather weak in my mind, yet it is her. "Daniel…. don't leave me." I see her swallow. "Hold me, please... I'm afraid…afraid I might slip away… again."

"I'll hold you. I won't let go of you." I think of my arms wrapped around Carolyn, holding her tightly to me so that she cannot fall, cannot slip. I feel her relaxing a bit and watch her sigh deeply.

It is time for a dream. Something that will be calming for her, but that will keep her spirit with me. Again, I speak into her mind.

"I never once had a woman aboard my ship, but if I had known you, I would have carried you off and shown you just how beautiful the world can be. I will take you now and show you some of the amazing things I've seen." I close my eyes for a moment, and when I open them again, I am on the deck of my own first ship. Standing next to me, my arm around her tiny waist is my Carolyn. She is wearing a dress of the 1860s, with a full hoop skirt. It is made of a red tartan print with a high collar and bodice trimmed with white cotton lace. The Mary Ann, my ship, is at anchor off a small, uninhabited island in the Caribbean where we know we can stop for fresh water. The bay is clear enough to see the seafloor 50 feet below us. Fish in all the colors of the rainbow swim by and the breeze off the island is sweet with the scent of tropical flowers. My first mate approaches and tips his cap. "Morning, Captain, missus." "Yes, marvelous morning," I reply. "Beginning your pardon, Sir. The men have secured the ship. They would like to go for a swim, if you would allow it." "Yes, set up a rotation, please, but make sure that Mr. Simmons takes a party to the spring to bring back fresh water." The first mate acknowledges my commands and disappears. Sighing, Carolyn turns to me.

"How _I_ would love to bathe in that water!"

"M'dear, you know without a bathing cabin, that's not possible! It would be quite the scandal. The crew respects you and treats you like their mother. If they should ever see you unclothed…"

"I know, I know. But what I wouldn't give just to walk on the beach in my bare feet!"

"How would you like to take the small dinghy over to the island? We can gather some cocoanuts. Perhaps we can find some wild fruit as well. And while we are looking through the brush, you might be able to remove your stockings so that you can walk at the water's edge. Of course, I would be most willing to assist you with them."

Carolyn's laughter turns to a gasp of wonder as the scene turns to the Mary Ann entering the harbor of Macao.

It is dusk and the junks, sampans and the other western schooners were lighting their lamps. From the buildings on the shore around the harbor, more and more candles and lanterns are being lit every minute, throwing golden glints of light onto the water. From a passing junk came the sounds of a stringed instrument and a girl's voice, singing in tones unknown to Carolyn's ears. From another vessel, wonderful smells that she had never experienced before.

"It's all so different," she whispers in awe. She stands near me at the ship's wheel, but doesn't want to distract me as I carefully guided the Mary Ann through the throng of the harbor. Still, I could not help hearing even her whispers, for I love her so.

"Aye, it is as different as night and day to what we know. And all the more wondrous for it."

Next, she is wearing a green velvet ball gown with emerald and pearl earrings dancing against her neck and a beautiful teardrop pearl hung with another emerald hanging at the top of her cleavage. Her arm is linked in mine as we exited through the door of Il Gran Teatro in Venice, emerging into the night. Tall, ornate lamps illuminated the piazza in front of us as we hear the lapping of the water in the canal. The night air is soft and _La Serenissima_ is at her most romantic.

"Come this way, m'dear. I know a delightful little trattoria just over this bridge." Carolyn's skirts make a sensuous sweeping noise as we walk and climb to the top of the dainty bridge.

"The opera was wonderful, wasn't it, Daniel?"

"Aye, but not as wonderful as my dearest wife." Taking her hand, I kiss it chastely through her white kidskin glove. Then, paying no attention to the other couples that promenade through the dark across the bridge, I pull her close to me, gently setting my lips on hers. Embarrassed, she opens her ivory filigree fan and holds it in front of our faces as I begin to kiss her more deeply, with greater hunger and need. "What need I of food and wine, when I have you to nourish my soul?" I ask her urgently. "When you kiss me like that, Daniel Gregg, I can live on the air itself," she replies. Standing there, staring into each other's eyes, the passersby nod to each other, knowingly. Forget about Paris; there is no better place to be deeply in love than Venice.

The morning brings us to the market at the quayside in Nice. We stroll along, seeing what the vendors have to offer. There is meat and fowl, flowers, fruit, vegetables, bread, herbs and more. Carolyn stops to look at an array of mushrooms. "We should buy a kilo of these for the cook. It would give the men a change, don't you think, Daniel?" "Whatever you think is best. Perhaps we should also get some garlic and shallots as well." The woman behind the mushrooms steps up to us. "Voulez vous le champignons?" "Oui. Une kilo," replied Carolyn pointing at the mushrooms. "Et une demi kilo d'aoil et un otre demi kilo de shallots." "Tres bien," replies the woman. "Une franc, deux centime, s'il vous plait." I takes a few coins from my pocket and pass them over. I tuck the package under my arm before taking Carolyn's elbow in my hand. "This way, m'dear." I lead her to a stall filled with plants and cut flowers. The proprietor is a little old man. A child, perhaps his granddaughter plays on the ground behind him. "Bon jour, monsieur!" "Bon jour, Capitan. Ces't un bon matin, n'est pas?" Indeed, it was a very good morning, and I hope to make it even better for my wife. "Oui, monsieur. C'est magnifique! Jaimerais un rose de rouge," I reply, pointing to the red rose I want for Carolyn. "Seulment une?" "Oui. Une c'est perfet pour ma belle femme. Une douzaine ne serait toujours pas aussi belle qu'elle…Yes, one is perfect for my beautiful wife. A dozen would not be as beautiful as she." "Vraiment," replies the old man, nodding in agreement with my assessment of my wife.

"Shall we walk a bit? If you've a mind for a good stroll, I can show you where all the royalty of Europe come for a summer stay." "I've no need to see a palace, Daniel. I've already been inside of Gull Cottage."

It was only the beginning of October, but snow well blanketed St. Petersburg. This was a different cold than Carolyn had known on the eastern seaboard of the United States. This was a cold that grabbed onto you and froze you down to your bones. "Daniel, I don't know how the crew can work in this weather?" "It is not our favorite port of call, but I want to show it to you because when you are not working in this weather, St. Petersburg is a magnificent city. I've rented a sleigh for this afternoon and we will see the sights of the town before we leave port with the morning's tide. I don't want to stay here a moment too long because the river and the outlet to the sea can freeze over in one night. If we were truly unlucky, we could end up here for the next six months. The only port that doesn't freeze closed in European Russia is far to the north, in Archangel, where the current keeps the harbor relatively free of ice. But even then, the river to the town miles away is already likely frozen hard for meters down.

At two that afternoon, Carolyn dressed herself in her warmest clothes, puts on a jacket and a new heavy woolen cape that she had purchased in Bremerhaven a few weeks before. Daniel hands her into the sleigh and then joins her. The coachman hands them several warm fur blankets and they are quickly trotting toward the Nevsky Prospect, sleigh bells merrily ringing out.

"Isn't this a wonderful excuse to cuddle together, Carolyn?" the Captain asks as he pulls her close and wraps the fur more closely around her. Looking up at him, laughter in her green eyes, Carolyn can only agree. Putting her head on his shoulder, up against his chin, she looks at the astonishingly beautiful buildings along the large boulevard. The weak light of the Russian winter afternoon will fade shortly; the lamplighters were already strutting up and down the streets lighting the lamps, but in the fading glow of the afternoon, Carolyn turns her face to Daniel's, eager to share the moment with him. Before she can say anything, however, her gaze becomes wrapped up in his amazing blue eyes. She always thought they were the most uniquely blue eyes she had ever seen. "I could look into them for hours," she sighed to herself.

Her eyes flutter open for a second, close and then open again. She is gazing into Daniel's eyes, or at least trying to focus on looking into his eyes. In a moment, her vision clears, and she becomes aware of a variety of noises around her. Daniel, her Daniel has her left hand firmly in his and his smile is as wide and happy as she can ever remember seeing it. From beyond him is another voice; male and unfamiliar. "Well, look who's finally awake!" Someone in a lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck is addressing her, but she'd rather keep her attention on the Captain. "I'm Dr. Pierce, Mrs. Muir, and I've been looking after you. It was touch and go there for a while, but I'm happy to say that you've been making very good progress. In fact, if everything continues as its been, we made be looking at a bed for you in a regular unit this evening or tomorrow morning."

"That's wonderful news, Doctor," the Captain says happily, looking back and forth between Hawkeye and Carolyn. "The family can't wait to get her home."

Hawkeye snorts. "I can tell. Every time I turn around you're here and the rest of the crowd is always right behind you. In fact, they're gathering in the waiting room right now. I'll go and share the good news with them."

The Captain looked down at Carolyn again, his face still full of joy. "You're still very weak and the children, Martha and your parents will want to spend a few moments with you, so I will step out."

"No, wait a moment," she said squeezing his hand lightly. "How is this possible?"

"Ah," he replies. "It's a bit of a long tale, and I will tell it to you as soon as I can, but for now, all you need to know is that I can, and you made it happen."

"I did?"

"Yes."

"Will the ability fade away?"

"No, m'dear. It will only get stronger…and better."

**Part 14: Home/Carolyn**

Walking through the front door of Gull Cottage, leaning on Daniel's strong arm, with my parents following and the children and Martha bursting out of the kitchen, is wonderful. The first thing I notice is the smell of Martha's coffee. I so want a cup. The instant they served at the hospital was horrid.

"Now dear," mother says in that way of hers, "you should go upstairs and rest. It was a long drive and its only been eight days since the accident."

"But Mom, I've just walked in the door. I'd like to look around the house, and I definitely want a cup of coffee!"

"Carolyn, why don't I help you upstairs. Your mother can get you settled on the sofa in your room and Martha will bring you a cup of coffee," says the Captain in a reasonable sort of way.

"And I can bring you a piece of birthday cake Martha made for me," Jonathan adds. I missed his birthday yesterday, but Candy's will be the day after tomorrow, and we'll make a nice party for both of them. My parents will stay until the weekend and then leave me in the care of Martha and Daniel. Of course, _my_ birthday and Thanksgiving are less than three weeks away, so they'll be back before we know it.

Late that night, long after everyone is asleep, Daniel comes to me and sits on the bed. I wake when he caresses my cheek. I love seeing him smile down on me, and I reach out to stroke his face with my good hand.

"I'm sorry to wake you, m'dear, but I did promise to explain how I came to be able to touch you, and I did want to tell you before everyone was pulling you this way and that again in the morning."

"Yes. You said I caused it. How could that be?"

"It was your life force."

"My _what?_"

"Your life force. From your blood." He tries to explain it to me, but all the talk of frequencies and Elders makes my head spin.

"You'll have to explain it all to me again when I'm a little stronger. You did say that this ability wouldn't fade, that it would get stronger?"

"Aye, my love. And better." And to prove it to me, he gives me a deep, longing kiss.

I could get used to this.


End file.
